| 1. Austrian Airlines’ Origins | | | | Alliance whose agreement, without renegotiation, would |
| Austrian Airline’s genesis can be traced back to | | | | have expired in August of 2000. |
| March 20, 1918, at which time the Austrian Postal | | | | 2. Despite an agreed investment limitation of 10%, |
| Administration had inaugurated daily scheduled mail | | | | Swissair had nevertheless attempted to purchase |
| service from Vienna to Kiew with intermediate stops in | | | | additional Austrian Airlines stock, precluding |
| Krakow, Lwow, and Proskurow, a route whose | | | | Austrian’s goal of autonomous identity and |
| average stage length had been 250 kilometers. | | | | independent ownership and forcing it to withdraw from |
| When space had permitted, passengers had also been | | | | the Swissair-led Qualiflyer Alliance of European |
| carried. The highly successful, punctual service was | | | | carriers. |
| later extended from Proskurow to Odessa and from | | | | 3. Swissair and Sabena had formed a combined |
| Vienna to Budapest. However, a flight prohibition, | | | | commercial management structure, which again had |
| implemented at the end of World War I, had resulted in | | | | proven contrary to Austrian Airlines’ independent |
| its termination. | | | | direction. |
| When the ban had finally been lifted, Austria | | | | 4. In early 2000, both Sabena and Swissair had |
| subsequently reentered the civil aviation market by | | | | concluded a code-share cooperation agreement with |
| founding the Oesterreichische Luftverkehrs AG | | | | American Airlines, a US airline-alignment counter to |
| (OELAG) on May 12, 1923 with an initial one million | | | | Austrian Airlines’ US feed strategy. |
| Crown investment financed by Junkers, a German | | | | Austrian Airlines, a small, but profitable international |
| aircraft manufacturer (49 percent), and various | | | | carrier of considerable quality, had nevertheless |
| Austrian shareholders (51 percent). Commencing | | | | needed the reach of a global alliance to remain |
| scheduled service from Munich to Vienna some two | | | | financially viable and thus concluded a membership |
| days later, it had utilized a Junkers F.13, a single-engined, | | | | agreement with the Lufthansa- and United-led Star |
| low-wing monoplane which had featured an enclosed | | | | Alliance, which had become effective on March 26, |
| cockpit and passenger cabin and had rested on a tail | | | | 2000. Still the largest and longest-running alliance, it |
| wheel. OELAG eventually operated several versions | | | | had then been comprised of Air Canada, Air New |
| of this rugged, but (then) modern design, and increasing | | | | Zealand, All Nippon, Ansett Australia, Austrian Airlines, |
| demand had soon necessitated larger aircraft, the first | | | | British Midland, Lauda Air, Lufthansa, Mexicana, SAS, |
| of which had been a higher-capacity, tri-engined | | | | Thai Airways International, Tyrolean, United, and Varig, |
| Junkers G.24 delivered in 1927 and the second of | | | | and had collectively carried 23-percent of the |
| which had been the more advanced G.31, delivered the | | | | world’s passenger traffic. At the same time, the |
| following year. Perhaps the ultimate design had been | | | | decision had permitted continued independent identity |
| the Junkers Ju.52/3m, a tri-engined, 18-passenger | | | | and autonomous operation, yet expansion potential for |
| airliner with a gross weight of 24,000 pounds and a | | | | both the airline and its Vienna hub. Expressed as a |
| cruise speed in excess of 150 mph, which had joined | | | | sentiment, the decision could be stated as, “Here |
| the fleet in 1936. Most major East and West | | | | we grow again!” |
| European flag carriers had also operated the type at | | | | The transition from the Atlantic Excellence to the Star |
| this time. | | | | Alliance, having commenced as early as January 2000, |
| By the following year, OELAG’s route system had | | | | had entailed four integral changes: |
| radiated to Athens, Belgrade, Berlin, London, Paris, | | | | 1. An entirely new IT (information technology) system |
| Prague, Rome, and Zurich, in addition to incorporating | | | | and frequent flier program. |
| several Austrian domestic destinations, with much of | | | | 2. The operational relocation to a new terminal, |
| the service daily. It eventually became the fourth | | | | passenger service office, passenger check-in counter, |
| largest European carrier after Lufthansa, KLM, and Air | | | | load control-aircraft dispatch center, and gate at JFK. |
| France, with 975,840 weekly seat-kilometers. | | | | 3. New alliance airline code-share flights and traffic |
| Coincident with OELAG’s growth had been the | | | | feed had resulted in the closing of the Atlanta station |
| completion of five Austrian airports--namely, Graz, | | | | and the subsequent opening of the Chicago and |
| Innsbruck, Klagenfurt, Salzburg, and Vienna. | | | | reopening of the Washington stations in the US. |
| When Austria had been absorbed into the Third Reich | | | | 4. The company-wide migration training in Oberlaa, |
| in 1938, OELAG had been incorporated into Deutsche | | | | Austria. |
| Luft Hansa (DLH). Nevertheless, it had flown 120,000 | | | | Star Alliance membership, once again entailing a |
| passengers 7.5 million kilometers without fatality during | | | | relocation to Terminal One at JFK, had prompted |
| its reign. | | | | another handling carrier change, from Delta to |
| 2. Initial Growth | | | | Lufthansa, which had now performed the Baggage |
| When World War II had ended, Austria, now | | | | Services and Passenger Check-In functions, while |
| independent, had signed the Peace Treaty with all four | | | | Austrian itself had continued to act in the capacities of |
| occupying powers in 1955, and had once again sought | | | | Arrivals, Ticketing, Load Control, Ramp Supervision, and |
| to enter the civil aviation field by forming a flag | | | | Management. Under a reciprocal agreement, it had |
| carrier. Two such national airlines were actually | | | | also provided these passenger services to Lufthansa |
| proposed: Air Austria, formed by the Austrian | | | | for its own Frankfurt departures during non-operational |
| People’s Party and capitalized by KLM and later | | | | hours. Aircraft loading and baggage room functions |
| Fred Olsen, a Norwegian charter company, and | | | | had been provided by Hudson General, which had later |
| Austrian Airways, formed by the Austrian Socialist | | | | been renamed GlobeGround North America. |
| Party and financially supported by SAS. Neither ever | | | | In a further cost-reduction strategy, Austrian Airlines |
| flew and the two were eventually combined on | | | | had relocated to a smaller, lower-rent Passenger |
| September 30, 1957 to form an integrated company | | | | Service office on the ground floor of Terminal One in |
| with an initial AUS 60 million investment which adopted, | | | | September 2002, at which time the Load Control |
| Phoenix-like, its pre-war name of Oesterreichische | | | | Ramp Supervision function had been awarded to |
| Luftverkehrs AG, but whose English equivalent of | | | | Lufthansa. No longer serving Lufthansa’s flights, |
| “Austrian Airlines” had now been used. The | | | | the Austrian staff had been further reduced to six |
| airline had thus been born. | | | | full-time and two part-time positions and the daily shift |
| Ownership had encompassed Austrian private | | | | hours had decreased from nine to eight. |
| investors, at 42 percent; public enterprises, at 28 | | | | Austrian’s largest-capacity aircraft, the |
| percent; SAS, at 15 percent; and Fred Olsen, at 15 | | | | A-340-300--accommodating 30 business class and |
| percent. Austrian inaugurated scheduled service on | | | | 261 economy class passengers--had intermittently also |
| March 31, 1958 after a 20-year suspension with four | | | | provided service to JFK, particularly during the summer |
| leased Vickers V.779 Viscounts, a medium-capacity, | | | | 2002 timetable when a late Saturday departure had |
| four-engined turboprop airliner designed in Great Britain | | | | been scheduled. Two such aircraft had then been in |
| and initially deployed over the Vienna-Zurich-London | | | | the fleet: |
| route. Austrian had finally returned to the sky. | | | | 1. OE-LAK |
| Growth proceeded rapidly and, in 1960, it took delivery | | | | 2. OE-LAL |
| of the first of four larger-capacity, stretched Vickers | | | | 9. Swissport USA |
| V.837 Viscounts, which it inaugurated into service on | | | | The consistent thrust to reduce costs had resulted in |
| May 23, and the following year it received the Vickers | | | | yet another handling-company change at JFK on |
| V.845 Viscount for slightly lower-capacity routes. | | | | January 1, 2003, when most of the ground services |
| Both British turboprops provided reliable, economical | | | | had been transferred from Lufthansa to Swissport |
| service, the V.837 not being retired until 1971. The | | | | USA. |
| Douglas DC-3, the best-selling civil airliner of all time, | | | | In preparation for the change, the Swissport passenger |
| had also been acquired at this time and had enabled | | | | service staff had attended the Guide Check-In course |
| Austrian to inaugurate domestic services on May 1, | | | | in Vienna in December 2002, while one Swissport |
| 1963, a route which would later be served by Austrian | | | | agent, who had structured the Baggage Services |
| Air Services. This aircraft was replaced by the more | | | | department, had attended the World Tracer Basic |
| advanced, larger-capacity, turboprop-powered Hawker | | | | course in October of the following year. |
| Siddeley HS.748-2 in 1966, another British design. | | | | Outfitted in Austrian Airlines uniforms, the Swissport |
| Austrian Airlines entered the jet age on February 20, | | | | staff had performed the Arrivals, Lost-and-Found, |
| 1963 when it inaugurated the first of five Sud-Aviation | | | | Passenger Check-In, Departure Gate, Load Control, |
| SE.210-VIR Caravelle twin-jets into service and set the | | | | and Ramp Supervision functions, while Austrian itself |
| stage for its eventual strategy of operating short- to | | | | had continued to provide Ticket Sales, Administration, |
| medium-range, low- to medium-capacity, t-tailed | | | | Supervision, and Management services. Load control, |
| twin-jets on a predominantly European (and later North | | | | which had initially been performed in Terminal 4 using |
| African and Middle Eastern) route structure. | | | | the Swissair DCS system, had been transferred to |
| Designed in France, the Caravelle was quiet, cruised | | | | Terminal One and the Lufthansa-WAB system after |
| above the weather, and reduced flying times between | | | | the Swissport operations personnel had completed a |
| European capitals, and had, in fact, been the first | | | | computerized load control course in Vienna that |
| design to permit economical, short-range, pure-jet | | | | March. |
| service. | | | | 10. North American Station Training |
| 3. Transatlantic Experiment | | | | Program |
| Contrary to most European flag carriers, which had | | | | Because most of the Swissport agents had had little |
| operated transatlantic service to the United Stares and | | | | previous airline experience; had been unfamiliar with |
| Canada with quad-engined DC-4s since World War II, | | | | Austrian Airlines’ product and procedures; and had |
| Austrian Airlines had maintained its medium-range route | | | | mostly had only a basic, entry-level Passenger Service |
| system until April 1, 1969. It had been at this time that | | | | Course, I had endeavored to create a local training |
| it had stretched its wings across the Atlantic with a | | | | program by drafting the course descriptions, writing the |
| large-capacity, intercontinental Boeing 707-320, | | | | textbooks, devising the quizzes and exams, teaching |
| registered OE-LBA and chartered from Sabena | | | | the courses themselves, and subsequently issuing the |
| Belgian World Airways, which had been deployed on | | | | training certificates in order to more adequately |
| the Vienna-New York route with an intermediate stop | | | | prepare them to perform their functions. |
| in Brussels. This so-called “transatlantic | | | | The program, tracing its routes to the Austrian Airlines |
| experiment,” despite Austrian’s delay in | | | | Passenger Handling Course created in 1989 and the |
| launching it, had ultimately proven both a premature | | | | introductory Load Control material written in 1998, had |
| and financially unsound one for two primary reasons: | | | | evolved into the full-fledged North American Station |
| 1. The home market had still been too small. | | | | Training Program, whose content, updated in |
| 2. Vienna-Schwechat had been insufficiently | | | | accordance with aircraft, system, procedure, and |
| developed as a hub, providing few connecting flights to | | | | alliance change, had entailed the four integral |
| which this transatlantic service could transfer | | | | curriculums of “Initial Passenger Service,” |
| passengers. | | | | “Ramp Supervision Certification,” “Load |
| Resultantly, after a two-year trial, the 707 had been | | | | Control Licensing,” and “Airline Management;” |
| returned to Sabena on March 31, 1971, leaving Austrian | | | | and had ultimately encompassed 27 Passenger |
| once again to concentrate on its primarily continental | | | | Service, Ramp Supervision, Load Control, Air Cargo, |
| route system for which nine short-to medium-range, | | | | and Airline Station Management procedural and training |
| low-capacity McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-30s had been | | | | manuals; two station histories; 28 curriculums; and 63 |
| ordered. | | | | courses taught to Austrian Airlines and Austrian |
| Similar in overall design to the Caravelle, but | | | | Airlines-handling carriers Delta, Lufthansa, Passenger |
| manufactured in the United States, the t-tailed jetliner | | | | Handling Services/Maca, SAS, Servair, and Swissport |
| offered a slightly higher passenger capacity, greater | | | | at the eight North American stations of Atlanta, |
| payload capability, a higher gross weight, more | | | | Cancun, Chicago, Montreal, New York, Punta Cana, |
| powerful engines, and improved economy, and with it | | | | Toronto, and Washington. |
| Austrian entered a new era which would span almost | | | | The program, which had quickly become the equivalent |
| two decades. It had later described this design as | | | | of an “Airline University” and had often been |
| “the start of something big, classical and still | | | | sited as the reason why Swissport staff had |
| modern.” The first DC-9-30 had been delivered on | | | | continually striven to transfer to the Austrian Airlines |
| June 19, 1971 and the type soon proved to be the | | | | account, had often proven instrumental in their career |
| mainstay of its fleet. | | | | path advancements, facilitating their promotions or |
| In 1974, Austrian leased a McDonnell-Douglas | | | | acceptances by other airlines. |
| DC-8-63F, registered OE-IBO, from Overseas National | | | | 11. Boeing and Lauda to JFK |
| Airways (ONA) for cargo services to Hong Kong, but | | | | JFK, hitherto exclusively served by Austrian Airlines |
| these were later discontinued. Other than the | | | | and its fleet of A-310, A-330, and A-340 Airbus |
| 707-320, the DC-8-63F was its only other | | | | widebody aircraft, had received its first regularly |
| large-capacity, long-range, quad-engined jet. | | | | scheduled Lauda Air 767 operation during the summer |
| So versatile and popular had the DC-9 design proven | | | | of 2004, while the frequency had multiplied four-fold by |
| itself to be, that Austrian later ordered five stretched, | | | | the following year. During 2007, it had altogether |
| higher-capacity DC-9-50s. The first of these had | | | | replaced the 17-year Airbus service. |
| been delivered on September 14, 1975. | | | | Founded in April 1979 by Niki Lauda, of racing car |
| That these twin-engined aircraft and the discontinuation | | | | fame, Lauda Air had acquired Alpair Vienna’s |
| of its transatlantic service were proper strategies for | | | | charter license for ATS 5 million and had initiated |
| the Austrian national carrier had been reflected by its | | | | charter and air taxi service in cooperation with Austrian |
| positive growth. On June 26, 1974, for example, a | | | | Airlines with two Fokker F.27 Friendship turboprops, |
| new maintenance base had been opened at | | | | predecessors to the Fokker F.50s Austrian Air |
| Schwechat International Airport-Vienna. Its value had | | | | Services itself had later operated. Niki Lauda, born in |
| also continued to swell: in 1967 its share capital had | | | | Vienna, Austria, in 1949, had amassed his wealth as a |
| increased by AUS 140 million to AUS 290 million. In | | | | Formula I racing driver, having won two world |
| 1969, it had further increased to 390 million. And in | | | | champion titles and 25 Grand Prix races. It had |
| 1962 it had reached the one billion mark. During each | | | | quickly became apparent, however, that two Austrian |
| of the three years, from 1972 to 1974, it had posted a | | | | carriers could not coexist because of fierce |
| profit. Its route system had equally expanded: in 1976, | | | | competition, downward yield pressure, and an |
| Austrian had stretched its wings to Cairo in the Middle | | | | inadequate local market base, and the F.27s had |
| East and to Stockholm and Helsinki in Scandinavia. | | | | ultimately been leased to Egyptair. |
| Demand, soon outpacing capacity, had necessitated an | | | | Six years later, in January of 1985, two BAC-111-500s, |
| initial order for eight McDonnell-Douglas DC-9-80s to | | | | a British twin-jet not unlike the SE.210 Caravelle in size, |
| replace its existing DC-9-50s. Also designated DC-9 | | | | range, and design, had been leased from Tarom |
| Super 80, this aircraft had been a more modernized | | | | Romanian Airlines, increasing its fleet capacity to 208 |
| version of the previous –50 series variant for | | | | seats, and these had later been deployed on charter |
| medium-range deployment and featured a further | | | | and inclusive-tour (IT) services, initially to Greece, but |
| fuselage stretch for still higher capacity and refanned, | | | | later to other European destinations. Demand |
| higher-thrust, and more fuel-efficient Pratt and Whitney | | | | became so high that it had ultimately exceeded |
| JT8D-209 engines. Austrian, which shared the | | | | available capacity and a larger 737-200, leased from |
| distinction of being launch customer for the design with | | | | Transavia Holland, had replaced one of the BAC-111s, |
| Swissair, inaugurated the first elongated DC-9-81 into | | | | with both types later disposed of upon delivery of two |
| service on October 26, 1980 on the Vienna-Zurich | | | | still-higher capacity, new technology 737-300s. These |
| route with aircraft OE-LDR “Wien.” The | | | | had been operated on a steadily growing charter route |
| twin-jet was later redesignated MD-81 and quickly | | | | network. |
| became the short- to medium-range workhorse of its | | | | In May 1986, Lauda Air had applied to the Austrian |
| fleet. | | | | Ministry of Transport for a license to operate |
| New additions to its ever-expanding route system | | | | scheduled international service. This had been |
| included Larnaca in 1979; Jeddah, also in 1979; and | | | | approved in November 1987, thus ending Austrian |
| Tripoli in 1981. | | | | Airlines’ long-held monopoly. A |
| Another 1980 milestone had been the foundation of | | | | subsequently-acquired, 235-passenger, dual class |
| Austrian Air Services (AAS), which would eventually | | | | Boeing 767-300ER had permitted long-range, |
| become a wholly-owned subsidiary, to operate | | | | intercontinental flights to be inaugurated, the first of |
| Austrian domestic routes with two 19-passenger, | | | | which, on May 7, 1988, had been a weekly scheduled |
| twin-turboprop Fairchild Swearingen Metro II commuter | | | | Vienna-Bangkok-Hong Kong service, shortly joined by |
| aircraft. The first such service had been operated on | | | | a Vienna-Bangkok-Sydney sector. Filling the need for |
| April 1. | | | | lower-fare, long-haul, leisure-oriented travel, Lauda Air |
| Austrian plied smooth skies. Indeed, its 1980 balance | | | | grew rapidly. In 1985, for instance, it had carried |
| sheet had indicated a AUS 71.5 million net profit, its | | | | 95,768 passengers and had flown 2,522 flight hours |
| tenth consecutive one. | | | | with 67 employees, while in the first ten months of |
| The MD-81, intemittently proving itself to be as optimally | | | | 1987, it had carried 236,730 passengers and had |
| suited to its route system as the twin-jet SE.210-VIR, | | | | undertaken 5,364 flight hours with 169 employees, a |
| the DC-9-30, and the DC-9-50 had been, was followed | | | | 147-percent passenger increase. By 1990, its fleet |
| by its shorter-fuselage derivative, the MD-87, which | | | | had swelled to five aircraft, comprised of three |
| Austrian ordered on December 19, 1984 for | | | | 146-passenger 737-300s and two 235-passenger |
| lower-capacity route sectors, and the Austrian Air | | | | 767-300ERs, which had been deployed on charter |
| Services fleet was equally upgraded with the addition | | | | services to European destinations such as Spain and |
| of two 50-passenger Fokker F.50 twin-turboprops | | | | Greece, Middle Eastern destinations like Israel, and to |
| which were ordered on September 25 of the following | | | | Africa and the Far East, and on scheduled services to |
| year. | | | | Vienna, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Sydney. |
| 4. Transatlantic Return | | | | Earning its license for European scheduled service on |
| Operating a modern, fuel-efficient fleet over an | | | | August 23, 1990 for the first time, a right thus far only |
| expanding route system and carrying almost 1.5 million | | | | held by incumbent Austrian Airlines, it had commenced |
| passengers in 1986, Austrian once again contemplated | | | | service from Vienna to London-Gatwick with five |
| intercontinental service, now both to New York in the | | | | weekly 737-300 flights. |
| west and to Tokyo in the east, and toward this end it | | | | Seeking entry into the Austrian market, |
| had converted its previous order for two | | | | Lufthansa-German Airlines had announced a marketing |
| medium-range Airbus Industrie A-310-200s to the | | | | cooperation with Lauda Air in July 1992, sealing this |
| long-range A-310-300 version on June 25, 1986. | | | | alliance the following January with a 26.5-percent |
| Austrian had signed the original memorandum of | | | | capital increase, shortly after which the two carriers |
| understanding for the A-310-200s as far back as April | | | | had inaugurated a quad-weekly 767-300ER service to |
| 18, 1979, a date which was to prove a full decade | | | | Los Angeles. |
| before the service would actually get off the ground. | | | | Well aware of competition from Austrian Airlines on |
| Three factors could be cited as to why the time may | | | | inter-European routes from its limited Vienna market, |
| have been ripe for a relaunching of this service: | | | | Lauda had sought to inaugurate its own service with |
| 1. In the 15-year interval since the last intercontinental | | | | small-capacity, 50-passenger, twin-engined Canadair |
| service had been terminated, the home market had | | | | Regional Jets, ordering six of the type in October 1993, |
| considerably grown, a fact demonstrated by the | | | | which had been deployed on routes to Barcelona, |
| prevailing increases in nonstop US-Vienna service, | | | | Madrid, Brussels, Geneva, Manchester, and Stockholm |
| provided by Pan Am, Royal Jordanian, and Tarom | | | | with the start of the summer timetable on March 27, |
| from New York, and by American from Chicago. | | | | 1994. Singapore, which had replaced Bangkok in |
| 2. Its route structure in general equally offered | | | | November of that year, had become the new |
| excellent connections to West European, North | | | | “bridge” between Vienna and Sydney |
| African, and Middle Eastern destinations. | | | | Melbourne, and the weekly 767 service had been |
| 3. The A-310 had thus enabled long, thin routes such as | | | | doubled. |
| Lyon-New York with Air France, Frankfurt-Newark | | | | On March 26, 1995, Lauda Air had established a |
| with Lufthansa, Istanbul-New York with THY, and New | | | | second European hub, Milan-Malpensa, in cooperation |
| York-Stockholm with Pan Am to have been served. | | | | with Lufthansa, which now held a 39.7-percent stake in |
| The decision to reinstate intercontinental service, | | | | the fledgling Austrian carrier, basing three of the six |
| scheduled for the spring of 1989, had officially been | | | | originally-ordered CRJ-100s there. These had been |
| made two years earlier, on June 25, 1987, and would | | | | deployed to Vienna, Manchester, Brussels, Paris, |
| be operated by two Pratt and Whitney-powered | | | | Barcelona, and Dublin. The Candair Regional Jets, |
| A-310-300s which would serve the Vienna-New York | | | | along with an increasing number of 737s, had provided |
| and Vienna-Moscow-Tokyo routes, the latter in | | | | the backbone of its European fleet. |
| cooperation with Aeroflot and ANA All-Nippon | | | | It had soon become apparent that pending European |
| Airways. These services had been predicted to | | | | deregulation would not likely tolerate dozen-aircraft |
| have depended upon the connecting passenger for | | | | airlines unless they had served very small, specific |
| profitability. On the New York route, for example, a | | | | market niches. Lauda Air had been unable to survive |
| 66-percent, break-even load factor had been needed | | | | in the face of competition from Austrian Airlines once |
| during the first year of operation, primarily comprised of | | | | before. Both had operated medium- and long-range, |
| US-originating, Austria-originating, and connecting | | | | twin-engine aircraft from bases in Vienna and had |
| passengers. Both routes had relied on the lucrative, | | | | offered considerable passenger service quality. An |
| high-yield, frequent business traveler who had been | | | | ultimate cooperation with Austrian Airlines seemed |
| unable to take advantage of the lower, restricted | | | | inevitable. This had been partially consummated in |
| fares. Austrian Airlines would offer a first class cabin | | | | June 1996, at which time Austrian Airlines and Lauda |
| on its A-310-300s for the first time in its history. | | | | Air had operated single-aircraft, dual-code flights to |
| The first aircraft, registered OE-LAA “New | | | | Nice, Milan, and Rome with the regional jet for the first |
| York,” had been delivered on December 22, 1988, | | | | time. On March 12, 1997, this had been expanded, |
| and the second, OE-LAB “Tokyo,” had followed | | | | with the announcement of a strategic, tri-carrier |
| in January. The aircraft had constituted the | | | | Austrian/Lauda/Lufthansa cooperation, Austrian Airlines |
| airline’s first widebody, twin-aisle type. | | | | now taking a 36-percent stake in its former competitor |
| Austrian had returned to the transatlantic US market | | | | with Lauda himself retaining 30 percent and Lufthansa |
| on Easter Sunday, March 26, 1989, when two smoke | | | | 20 percent. |
| puffs had signaled the touchdown of the red-white-red | | | | On September 24 of that year, Lauda Air took |
| liveried widebody twin-jet, configured for 12 first class, | | | | delivery of its second wide body aircraft type, the |
| 37 business class, and 123 economy class passengers, | | | | 777-200, which had been inaugurated into service on |
| at JFK amid warm spring weather. After a brief | | | | the Vienna-Singapore-Sydney-Melbourne route on |
| turn-around, the aircraft, operating as Flight OS 502 | | | | October 1, replacing the venerable 767. |
| and piloted by Captain Braeuer and First Officer | | | | On September 21, 1999, now one of the three integral |
| Kutzenberger, had been tug-maneuvered away from | | | | “Austrian Airlines Group” members along with |
| the gate at 1900 with 121 passengers, who would be | | | | Austrian Airlines itself and Tyrolean Airways, Lauda Air |
| served by nine cabin attendants, and took off into the | | | | had announced its intention to join the Star Alliance, |
| deep purple dusk at a take off weight of 153,603 kilos, | | | | which became effective on March 26, 2000. |
| 40,300 of which had been fuel required for the Atlantic | | | | As the lower-cost arm within the three-airline group, |
| crossing. The flight had been 18 years in the making. | | | | Lauda Air had provided medium- and long-range |
| Airport, reservations, sales, and marketing staff had | | | | scheduled and charter service on leisure-oriented |
| subsequently gathered in the Icelandair Saga Lounge | | | | routes with a four-type, 22-aircraft fleet, maintaining its |
| used by its business class passengers for a | | | | own brand identity. In 2004, however, the first steps |
| celebratory drink and a group photograph. | | | | toward integration with the Austrian Airlines brand had |
| The Tokyo route had been opened in the summer and | | | | occurred with the ratification of a joint Austrian-Lauda |
| the A-310, to become Austrian’s intercontinental | | | | Air cockpit crew contract, and in January of 2005, |
| widebody, had served it for more than a decade, | | | | aircraft OE-LAE had become the first of four |
| operating to multiple US, African, and Far Eastern | | | | 767-300s to have been repainted in the Austrian |
| destinations with four aircraft in a final two-class seat | | | | Airlines livery, featuring the new interior color scheme |
| configuration registered as follows: | | | | and a 24-business class and 230-economy class |
| 1. OE-LAA | | | | passenger configuration. Lauda Air itself had |
| 2. OE-LAB | | | | reverted entirely to a single-class, high-density charter |
| 3. OE-LAC | | | | carrier within the Austrian Airlines Group with a narrow |
| 4. OE-LAD | | | | body fleet of Boeing 737s and Airbus A-320s. |
| By the summer of 1989, Austrian Airlines had served | | | | The summer 2004 Lauda 767 flight, which had |
| 54 cities in 36 countries in the United States, Western | | | | operated as an addition to the daily Austrian frequency |
| Europe, Eastern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, | | | | during the 11-week period from June 26 to September |
| and Japan with a total route length of 100,358 | | | | 5, had arrived at 2055 on Saturday evenings and |
| unduplicated kilometers. These services had been | | | | departed some 25 hours later on Sunday at 2200. In |
| operated by 26 aircraft comprised of the Fokker F.50, | | | | order to prepare the station for the additional service, |
| the McDonnell-Douglas MD-81/82/83/87, and the Airbus | | | | local Boeing 767 Passenger Service and Boeing 767 |
| A-310-300 whose average age had then been four | | | | Load Control courses had been created and taught to |
| years and had been describable as follows: | | | | the Swissport staff. Because Lufthansa had not |
| 1. Airbus A-310-300: A long-range, medium-capacity, | | | | been licensed on 767 aircraft, maintenance had been |
| wide-body, twin-aisle, twin-engine jet airliner--Austrian | | | | contracted to Delta Air Lines, which had operated all |
| Airlines’ intercontinental jet. Austrian Airlines had | | | | three -200, -300, and -400 series 767s, and an |
| dubbed it an “intercontinental European.” | | | | extensive night stop and security procedure had been |
| 2. McDonnell-Douglas MD-81: A medium-range, | | | | performed before aircraft push-back to the Terminal |
| medium-capacity, narrow-body, single-aisle, twin-engine | | | | One hardstand, at which time security seals had been |
| jet airliner--Austrian Airline’s European, North | | | | applied to all access doors. The inbound galley |
| African, and Middle Eastern workhorse. Austrian | | | | equipment had been offloaded and washed and |
| Airlines had described it as a “universal medium-haul | | | | prepared for the following evening. |
| airliner and the mainstay of its fleet.” | | | | The late departure had proven difficult to sell in the |
| 3. McDonnell-Douglas MD-82: The carrier had ordered | | | | business cabin without considerable marketing |
| the variant “for special-duty scheduled and charter | | | | promotion and fare reduction because of the |
| services.” | | | | aircraft’s then 36-passenger Amadeus Class |
| 4. McDonnell-Douglas MD-87: The short-fuselaged, | | | | capacity. Due to the size of its aft, lower-deck door, |
| lower-capacity version had been “tailor-made to its | | | | cargo-pallet loading had been restricted to four |
| needs in capacity and range.” | | | | positions in the forward compartment. The aircraft |
| 5. Fokker F.50: A short- and regional-range, | | | | themselves had operated in a combination of Lauda |
| low-capacity, narrow-body, single-aisle, twin-engine | | | | Air and Star Alliance liveries. |
| turboprop airliner operated by Austrian Airline’s | | | | During the summer 2005 timetable, the 767-300 had |
| Austrian Air Services subsidiary on domestic and | | | | operated up to four additional weekly frequencies |
| select long, thin international routes. Austrian Airlines | | | | from June 14 to September 2, resulting in 11 weekly |
| had considered it “a propjet specialist in | | | | departures from JFK, with the A-330 standardly |
| city-hopping.” | | | | operating the early service and the 767-300 operating |
| In addition to Austrian Air Services, Austrian Airlines | | | | the late flight. |
| owned 80 percent of Austrian Air Transport (AAT), | | | | In 2007, the type had altogether replaced the A-330 |
| which operated worldwide charter and inclusive tour | | | | and A-340 fleet. |
| (IT) flights with both Austrian Airlines and Austrian Air | | | | 12. Centralized Load Control |
| Services aircraft, having carried 506,000 passengers in | | | | In late-2006, a concept known as the “Centralized |
| 1988. It also maintained a close marketing agreement | | | | Load Control” (CLC) System had been |
| with Tyrolean Airways which operated services from | | | | implemented at JFK, and the station, like the nucleus of |
| Innsbruck with 37-passenger de Havilland of Canada | | | | an atom, had become the core of it all. |
| DHC-8-100s and 50-passenger DHC-7-100s. | | | | Brainchild of Michael Steinbuegl, JFK Station Manager, |
| 5. JFK Station Evolution | | | | the procedure, following trends set by Swiss |
| Initial training, held at Austrian Airlines’ North | | | | International in New York, Lufthansa in Cape Town, |
| American headquarters in Whitestone, New York, and | | | | and SAS in Bangkok, had its origins in an earlier |
| taught by Peter "Luigi" Huebner, commenced on | | | | investigative project in which he had explored cost |
| February 6, 1989, or some six weeks before the | | | | reductions by means of a large, single Centralized |
| inaugural flight, and had included the “Passenger | | | | Load Control department in Vienna or several regional |
| Handling I” and “Adios Check-In” courses. | | | | ones, although the latter inherently carried language and |
| Austrian Airlines’ first JFK location, the East Wing | | | | time zone obstacles. Michael, former Aircraft |
| of the no-longer-existent International Arrivals Building, | | | | Handling Manager, had amassed considerable |
| had shared facilities with Icelandair, including five | | | | experience creating operational procedures and |
| Austrian-specific check-in counters and the jointly-used | | | | methods, central to which had been weight and |
| Icelandair Saga Lounge, the former equipped with | | | | balance. |
| computers, automated boarding pass printers, and | | | | Seeking to apply this knowledge and simultaneously |
| laser-scannable baggage tag printers. The ground | | | | attempting to rectify the system incompatibility and |
| staff, entirely employed and trained by Austrian and | | | | communication difficulties encountered with the |
| outfitted in its uniform, had performed the full spectrum | | | | SAS-Bangkok arrangement in Washington, he tackled |
| of functions: Passenger Service, Ticket Sales, | | | | this station first, which, like JFK, already used the |
| Lost-and-Found, Load Control, Administration, | | | | Lufthansa-WAB system. In the process, he set the |
| Supervision, and Management. | | | | course for the many transitions to come by making |
| However, the success of the operation relied upon the | | | | several duty trips to establish local station-compatible |
| equipment which had serviced it and it had been the | | | | procedures and then drafting a detailed booklet |
| decision of Airbus Industrie to scale-down its full-size | | | | concerning them. The first centralized load sheet for |
| A-300 which had resulted in the A-310-300 and had | | | | the Washington flight, OS 094, occurred on November |
| made the reinstated transatlantic operation possible. | | | | 1, 2006. |
| Its long-range, twin-engine, wide body design, of | | | | Charlie Schreiner, the head of Austrian Airlines Load |
| concurrent technology, had offered the same range | | | | Control, subsequently marked the occasion with the |
| and twin-aisle comfort to the passenger as the | | | | following words: “With Austrian Airlines Flight OS |
| comparable quad-engined 747 or the tri-engined DC-10 | | | | 094 on November 1, our first line station had been |
| or L-1011, yet at the same time had been a quiet, | | | | connected to a regular Centralized Load Control |
| fuel-efficient aircraft with a small enough capacity to | | | | process with ULD aircraft. All activities toward the |
| permit profitable, year-round operations. The larger | | | | operational flight preparation, load planning, ULD |
| 747, DC-10, or L-1011 would have, because of market | | | | coordination, and WAB System documentation, |
| size, been forced to operate at a loss for most of the | | | | inclusive of the load sheet transmitted to the cockpit |
| year except during the peak summer travel season. | | | | via ACARs, had been successfully controlled by our |
| Any of the other then long-range aircraft, inclusive of | | | | JFK station yesterday. I would like to thank our |
| the Boeing 707 and the McDonnell-Douglas DC-8, had | | | | colleagues Mike Steinbuegl and Robert Waldvogel for |
| featured older-generation, fuel-thirsty, noise-emissive, | | | | the professional and excellently organized preparation |
| four-engined technology of early-1960s design which, | | | | of the CLC procedures, as well as the Austrian ladies, |
| because of newly enforced Stage 2 noise | | | | Regula Munz and Eva Lingeman in Washington and |
| requirements, would have been banned from US | | | | the handling agents in JFK and Washington (Swissport |
| operation unless they had been hush-kitted or | | | | and SAS Scandinavian Airlines System) in their |
| altogether engine-retrofitted. It had been because of | | | | engaging work during this transition. This good work |
| the very A-310 that Austrian Airlines and other smaller | | | | had also led to the first flight departing three minutes |
| European carriers like it had been able to profitably | | | | ahead of its scheduled departure time. I wish all |
| operate the long, thin Vienna-New York route sector. | | | | participants continued success in the CLC process.” |
| The initial 1989 timetable had offered six weekly | | | | The remainder of the CLC program, however, involved |
| frequencies during the summer and five in the winter, | | | | phased implementation. In May of the following year, |
| at which time two A-310-300s had operated both | | | | service had been reinaugurated from Chicago. |
| transatlantically to New York and to the Far East, via | | | | Because this could now be considered a “new” |
| Moscow, to Tokyo. They alternatively flew the | | | | station, it logically followed that its load sheet would be |
| longer-range sectors to Tel Aviv, Istanbul, and | | | | integrated into the CLC system from the start and, |
| Teheran. During the first six months of JFK | | | | despite computer system differentiations, had been |
| operations, an aircraft had never experienced an | | | | successfully adapted with the first flight on May 29 |
| excessive delay because of aircraft scheduling and | | | | after procedural modifications. |
| on-time performance had been exemplary. | | | | With these cities being handled by JFK, it had been |
| In-flight service had represented a large portion of an | | | | decided to integrate the last North American station, |
| airline’s expenditure. As a result, many of the | | | | Toronto, whose first centralized load sheet had been |
| carriers had begun to reduce this in order to decrease | | | | issued on July 1. |
| costs. Austrian Airlines, however, remained unique in | | | | Three Austrian Airlines-dedicated Swissport Load |
| a world aloft reduced to snacks and paper cups by | | | | Controllers, two of whom had worked on a given day |
| providing printed menus, amenity kits, china service, | | | | during the peak summer season, had formed the |
| complimentary alcoholic beverages, and free | | | | Centralized Load Control System team. |
| earphones in the coach cabin on the Vienna-New | | | | Since the fourth station had been integrated, JFK had |
| York and New York-Vienna route, a concept which | | | | produced some 120 load sheets per month, and the |
| had placed its product at the very top of the quality list. | | | | highly successful system had yielded numerous |
| Because of the size of the A-310, however, | | | | benefits. |
| lower-deck cargo space had been limited, with the | | | | 1. It had, first and foremost, produced considerable |
| forward hold usually accommodating the baggage unit | | | | savings. |
| load devices (ULDs) and the aft hold accommodating | | | | 2. All flights had departed on time relative to load plan |
| the cargo itself, which had often been restricted to | | | | and load sheet preparation. |
| two pallets and a single AKE unit. | | | | 3. All four North American flights had been |
| There had always been a certain “prestige” to | | | | operationally handled by only one more daily Load |
| flying to New York. Although the number of annual | | | | Controller than JFK had had for a single departure. |
| passengers entering the United States through JFK | | | | 4. All loading instruction reports and load sheets had |
| had begun to decline as an increasing number of | | | | been generated in the Lufthansa-WAB system. |
| alternative US gateways had become available, it had | | | | 5. And Vienna had had immediate access to all load |
| still been the largest entry point. New York had | | | | control-related data and documentation. |
| therefore remained the most logical destination for a | | | | 13. Boeing 777 |
| small carrier which had only served a single US city. | | | | When Austrian Airlines had turned the page of its |
| Because JFK had handled 1990 traffic with a (then) | | | | winter 2008-2009 timetable on March 29, JFK had |
| insufficiently sized, outmoded 1950s International | | | | fielded its first Boeing 777-200ER operation, the |
| Arrivals Building facility, the operation often suffered | | | | carrier’s largest capacity equipment and the fifth |
| service deteriorations, particularly during peak arrival | | | | basic type to have served New York after the A-310, |
| times when it had became very strained, entailing | | | | the A-330, the A-340, and the 767. |
| delays during taxi and subsequent immigration, luggage | | | | The aircraft, having originally been acquired by Lauda |
| retrieval, and customs formalities. The saturated air | | | | Air, had been configured for 49 business and 258 |
| traffic conditions stretching from Boston to Washington | | | | economy class passenger, although two later |
| through which the aircraft had to fly; the subsequently | | | | examples, which had featured higher gross weights |
| dense approach pattern formed by JFK, La Guardia, | | | | and modified passenger arrangements, had |
| and Newark International Airports; and the final difficulty | | | | accommodated 260 economy class passengers in |
| in obtaining a landing slot equally impacted operations. | | | | ten-abreast, three-four-three, configurations. |
| Passengers had often underestimated the time | | | | During the six-month period between April and |
| required to complete arrival processing after actually | | | | September of 2009, the single flight had carried 34 |
| leaving the aircraft. It had, however, been this | | | | percent more arriving and departing passengers, along |
| environment that Austrian Airlines had chosen when it | | | | with significantly increased complements of cargo and |
| had elected to partake of the “New York | | | | mail, than the comparable year-earlier period, when the |
| experience.” | | | | 767 had been deployed. |
| Although these negative facets of the operation had | | | | The four 777 registrations had included the following: |
| sometimes placed it in a poor light, it had, in fact, been | | | | 1. OE-LPA |
| JFK’s operations, and not Austrian’s, which had | | | | 2. OE-LPB |
| been observed, since all carriers operating into JFK | | | | 3. OE-LPC |
| had fallen victim to these ills, and because of them, an | | | | 4. OE-LPD |
| extensive renovation and rebuilding project, designated | | | | 14. Lufthansa Acquisition |
| “JFK 2000,” had at this time been launched, | | | | 2009 had been a pivotal year for Austrian Airlines. |
| which would ultimately lead to the construction or | | | | Because of the global economic downturn, escalating |
| renovation of almost every terminal, new parking | | | | fuel prices, eroding yields, and strong competition within |
| garages, and an inter-airport light rail system. | | | | Western Europe from low cost carriers, its financial |
| Although New York-Vienna load factors had initially | | | | viability and therefore continued existence as a |
| been low, these had steadily increased until the vast | | | | company had been threatened, despite previously |
| majority of flights had been full. Large tour groups | | | | unsuccessful attempts to stem its losses by selling its |
| had constituted an increasing portion of the passenger | | | | A-330 and A-340 fleet, reducing its long-range route |
| mixture, along with the anticipated connecting | | | | system, and implementing several restructuring plans. |
| passenger, who had been able to take advantage of | | | | Its savior, in the form of an agreement with |
| the expanding Vienna hub. It had been the ultimate | | | | Lufthansa-German Airlines to assume its debt and |
| testament to a carrier when a passenger had chosen | | | | acquire the majority of its shares, had enabled it to |
| to fly with it and make a connection at its intermediate | | | | continue operating. |
| hub as opposed to flying nonstop with a national | | | | On August 28, the European Commission had officially |
| carrier. | | | | approved the proposed acquisition of the Austrian |
| As a “second attempt” across the Atlantic, | | | | Airlines Group by Lufthansa-German Airlines, |
| Austrian Airline’s intercontinental A-310 service to | | | | comprised of the 500 million euro restructuring |
| New York had ultimately proven successful. | | | | assistance from the state holding company and the |
| With the acquisition of its third A-310-300, registered | | | | merger between the two carriers, thus paving the way |
| OE-LAC, Austrian Airlines had striven to serve a | | | | toward Austrian Airlines’ integration into the |
| second US gateway in the spring of 1991 and had | | | | Lufthansa Group by September. In order to achieve |
| wished to establish a presence on the West Coast, | | | | the required antitrust immunity, Lufthansa had agreed |
| specifically in Los Angeles, but the A-310-300’s | | | | to relinquish key flight slots and reduce the number of |
| 11-hour flight duration had precluded this reality. | | | | services between Vienna and Brussels, Cologne, |
| Chicago had been alternatively considered, but | | | | Frankfurt, Munich, and Stuttgart. For Austrian Airlines, |
| American’s own nonstop Boeing 767-200ER | | | | which would become one of Lufthansa’s many |
| service to Vienna from Chicago-O’Hare, where it | | | | independent, European hub carriers, it had signaled |
| had established its second largest hub, had proven too | | | | financial survival; an improved economic foundation; |
| competitive and Washington-Dulles had therefore been | | | | cost synergies, such as joint fuel and aircraft |
| chosen instead. | | | | purchasing; and access to Lufthansa’s extensive |
| For the European continental network, a higher gross | | | | international sales and route network. Austrian |
| weight McDonnell-Douglas MD-83 had been scheduled | | | | Airlines’ own niche within this system had entailed |
| for 1991 delivery and several of the existing MD-81s | | | | the establishment of Vienna as a high-performance |
| had been slated for conversion to this standard, thus | | | | hub for traffic feed to its dense Central and Eastern |
| permitting increased range and/or payload capability. | | | | European route system. |
| Two further Fokker F.50s had also been on order or | | | | As a result of this ownership change, numerous, |
| option to facilitate increased domestic and long, thin | | | | fundamental North American changes had occurred. |
| international service. | | | | In Toronto and Washington, for example, agreements |
| During the five-year period, from 1989 to 1994, Austrian | | | | had been reached wherein Lufthansa had assumed |
| Airlines had operated independently at JFK, offering as | | | | the ground operations handling at these stations. |
| few as four weekly departures during the winter and | | | | In New York, more than half of its Whitestone, North |
| as many as seven during the summer. | | | | American headquarters, employees had been laid off |
| 6. Delta Air Lines Code Share | | | | and the location, for almost a quarter of a century its |
| Changing market conditions had necessitated modified | | | | “fortress” located on the fifth floor of Octagon |
| strategies at JFK. Seeking to align itself with a US | | | | Plaza, had been closed, with the remaining staff |
| domestic carrier in order to obtain vital “feed” to | | | | relocating to Lufthansa’s East Meadow, Long Island, |
| its transatlantic flights it had been unable to achieve on | | | | facility, and integrating with its staff. |
| its own, Austrian Airlines had concluded a marketing | | | | At JFK, Austrian Airlines Cargo had relocated to the |
| agreement with Delta Air Lines in 1994, in which it | | | | Lufthansa facility on November 1, and 16 days later |
| would place its two-letter “OS” code on | | | | Swissport had passed the ground-handling torch to |
| Delta-operated flights, while Delta itself would | | | | Lufthansa-German Airlines. |
| reciprocally place its two-letter “DL” code on | | | | Michael Steinbuegl, Manager of that station for four |
| Austrian’s services. Two Delta flight attendants, in | | | | years, had been promoted to Key Account Manager, |
| their own uniforms, had initially also served in the cabins | | | | North America, but four Ticket Sales-Reservation |
| of Austrian’s A-310s to and from Vienna. | | | | positions had been rendered redundant when |
| Although the concept had slowly reaped financial | | | | Lufthansa had assumed those functions, reducing the |
| benefit, the aircraft had ultimately achieved high load | | | | Austrian Airlines’ staff to just three members, all of |
| factors, carrying both Austrian and Delta passengers | | | | whom had received limited, six-month contracts which |
| from some two dozen US cities through New York to | | | | had expired on May 15, 2010. They had subsequently |
| Vienna, often with beyond-travel. | | | | been integrated into the Lufthansa operation and |
| In order to reduce ground-handling costs and attain | | | | schedule. |
| synergistic, inter-carrier benefits, Austrian Airlines had | | | | The last Austrian Airlines “red presence,” |
| relocated its operations to Delta Terminal 1A (later | | | | whether having been created by purely Austrian |
| redesignated Terminal 2) on July 1, 1994, retaining only | | | | Airlines or Swissport staff, had occurred on November |
| nine of its original 21 staff members. Delta Air Lines, | | | | 15, and the first floor office in Terminal One, hitherto |
| the newly-designated ground-handling carrier, had | | | | “home” for both the Austrian Airlines and |
| performed arrivals, lost-and-found, passenger check-in, | | | | Swissport Management, Passenger Service, |
| departure gate, ramp, and baggage room functions, | | | | Centralized Load Control, Ticket Sales-Reservations, |
| while Austrian itself had continued to act within the | | | | and Baggage Services/Lost and Found Departments, |
| ticketing, load control, administration, supervision, and | | | | had been relinquished for three desks in the Lufthansa |
| management capacities. | | | | facility, two of which had been Duty Manager stations |
| Also in 1994, Austrian had taken delivery of the first of | | | | located on the main level and one of which had been |
| two long-range, quad-engined A-340-200s configured | | | | the Key Account Manager position located on the |
| for 36 business class and 227 economy class | | | | lower level in the Station Operations office. |
| passengers. The two aircraft, which would | | | | All things seem to come fully cycle. The event, |
| periodically serve New York throughout the next | | | | effectively ending 21 years of autonomous Austrian |
| decade, appeared with the following registrations: | | | | Airlines presence, had marked the carrier’s return |
| 1. OE-LAG | | | | to its 1938 integration with Lufthansa and its 2000 |
| 2. OE-LAH | | | | ground-handling arrangement at JFK. |
| From February 1997 to February 1998, Austrian also | | | | 15. JFK Station Strengths |
| relocated its check-in counters and operational office | | | | Throughout its 21-year presence at JFK International |
| to Delta Terminal 3, but otherwise operated within the | | | | Airport, Austrian Airlines had handled five aircraft |
| same marketing framework. | | | | types--the Airbus A-310, the Airbus A-330, the Airbus |
| 1997 also marked the first time that the transatlantic | | | | A-340, the Boeing 767, and the Boeing 777; had |
| route to New York had sufficiently matured to support | | | | assumed four strategies--its initial, independent |
| a second departure on selected days during the | | | | operation; the Delta Air Lines code share agreement; |
| summer timetable, with the aircraft arriving at 2045 | | | | the tri-carrier Atlantic Excellence station; and the Star |
| and redeparting at 2205. Usually operated by aircraft | | | | Alliance integration; had operated from four JFK |
| OE-LAC, an A-310 with a reduced-capacity business, | | | | terminals--Terminal One, Terminal Two, Terminal Three, |
| but higher-capacity economy class section, the late | | | | and the International Arrivals Building; had been handled |
| flight had fostered better connections with the midday | | | | by three companies--Delta Air Lines, |
| bank of departures from Vienna. | | | | Lufthansa-German Airlines, and Swissport USA; and |
| 7. Atlantic Excellence | | | | had used two computer systems. |
| Once again yielding to airline deregulation-necessitated | | | | Because the talents and abilities of many of the staff |
| realignment and endeavoring to further attain | | | | had been channeled to produce creative and |
| cost-reducing synergies, Austrian Airlines had | | | | innovative accomplishments during the last chapter of |
| integrated its JFK operations with Sabena and | | | | its existence, JFK had notched up several strengths |
| Swissair on March 1, 1998 under the Atlantic | | | | and successes, some of which had enabled it to play |
| Excellence Alliance, forming the first tri-carrier station. | | | | an increasingly nucleic role within North America. |
| Although the employees of the three carriers had | | | | These achievements can be subdivided as follows: |
| continued to wear their respective uniforms, they had | | | | 1. The textbooks and courses had subsequently been |
| operated from single passenger service and load | | | | used to duplicate this success at Austrian Airlines’ |
| control offices, utilizing a joint Austrian, Sabena, and | | | | other North American stations. |
| Swissair check-in facility, and equally handled each | | | | 2. The Centralized Load Control (CLC) Department, |
| other’s flights. During the peak summer season, | | | | entailing the preparation of loading instruction/reports |
| seven daily departures operated by four airlines had | | | | and load sheets for the four North American stations |
| been offered. | | | | of Chicago, New York, Toronto, and Washington, had |
| The Atlantic Excellence station had been comprised of | | | | been highly successful and had once involved four |
| eight functions, including Control, Arrivals, Departures, | | | | aircraft types: the Boeing 767, the Airbus A-330, the |
| VIP/Special Services, Ticketing, Load Control, Ramp | | | | Airbus A-340, and the Boeing 777. |
| Supervision, and Trouble Shooting. Because Swissair | | | | 3. Omar himself had often traveled to other stations in |
| had already been contracted to provide | | | | order to restructure their Baggage Services |
| Malev-Hungarian Airlines’ load sheet services, the | | | | Departments. |
| Load Control function itself had entailed handling some | | | | 4. The Ticket Sales-Reservations counter, under the |
| six aircraft types, inclusive of the 747, the A-340, the | | | | direction of Sidonie Shields, had consistently collected |
| MD-11, the A-330, the 767, and the A-310, and the | | | | significant amounts of annual revenue in ticket sales, |
| Atlantic Excellence integration had often required | | | | excess baggage, and other fees. |
| inter-carrier training courses. | | | | 5. The visible presence of Austrian Airlines, in red |
| As had singularly occurred with Austrian Airlines, Delta | | | | uniforms, to the passenger, whether worn by Austrian |
| had equally concluded reciprocal two-letter code-share | | | | Airlines or Swissport staff. |
| agreements with Sabena and Swissair, but now took | | | | 6. The special flights, such as those carrying the Rabbi |
| the former marketing arrangement to full alliance | | | | Twersky group, the American Music Abroad group, |
| status at Delta’s significantly-maturing New | | | | the IMTX group, the Vienna Boys’ Choir, the Vienna |
| York-JFK flight hub. Delta continued to provide the | | | | Philharmonic Orchestra, and Life Ball, the latter with its |
| ramp and baggage room functions for all three Atlantic | | | | high-profile celebrities, colorful characters, and |
| Excellence airlines. | | | | predeparture parties. |
| In August of that year, Austrian had taken delivery of | | | | 7. The special events, including “The Year in |
| the first of four longer-range, higher-capacity | | | | Review,” the Pennsylvania ski trips, the summer |
| A-330-200s, registered OE-LAM and configured for 30 | | | | pool parties, the birthdays, the Thanksgiving dinners, |
| business and 235 economy class passengers, and the | | | | and the Secret Santas at Christmas. |
| type had ultimately replaced the workhorse A-310-300 | | | | 8. And, finally, the daily briefings, the family atmosphere, |
| fleet. The four aircraft, later operating with a reduced | | | | the jokes, the laughs, the raps, and the human |
| business class capacity of 24 when the Grand Class | | | | connection which had continually emphasized the life |
| concept had been introduced, had included the | | | | forces behind it all. |
| following registrations: | | | | Michael Steinbuegl, who assumed command as JFK |
| 1. OE-LAM | | | | Station Manager in September of 2005, had cultivated |
| 2. OE-LAN | | | | the environment and orchestrated the steps which had |
| 3. OE-LAO | | | | allowed every one of these strengths and |
| 4. OE-LAP | | | | accomplishments to have been made. |
| During the summer timetable of 1998, JFK had fielded | | | | 16. Two Decades of Elasticity |
| its first dual-aircraft type operation, with the first | | | | Austrian Airlines, hitherto among the smallest European |
| departure standardly operated by the A-330 and the | | | | airlines, had to assume a considerable degree of |
| second by the A-310. | | | | necessary “elasticity” during its 21 years at JFK, |
| 8. Star Alliance | | | | ebbing and flowing in the ever-changing turbulence of |
| Although an ultimate “Swissport Solution,” under | | | | prevailing market conditions, seeking financial benefit, |
| which all Atlantic Excellence JFK ground staff would | | | | synergistic strength, market niche, alliance realignment, |
| be transferred to the ground-handling company, had | | | | and ultimate change of ownership. Defying Darwinian |
| been envisioned, the eventuality had never played | | | | philosophy, whose “survival of the fittest” |
| out. Rumors, rumbling through the station like the | | | | prediction is often translated as “survival of the |
| gentle forewarnings of a pending storm, had pervaded | | | | largest,” Austrian Airlines had, despite numerous, |
| the atmosphere by mid-1999. A new strategy | | | | necessary redirections, proven the contrary, perhaps |
| seemed to loom on the horizon and its seeds, planted | | | | prompting a rewording of the philosophy to read, |
| long before it had bloomed, had been multi-faceted and | | | | “survival of the smallest”--to which should be |
| omni-encompassing. | | | | added, “as a global player.” |
| 1. In June of 1999, Delta Air Lines and Air France had | | | | Toward this end, the latest strategy had enabled the |
| formed the fundamental basis of a new global alliance, | | | | carrier to survive. For station JFK and its staff, |
| later named SkyTeam, thus dissolving the 25-month | | | | however, it had not. |
| Austrian/Delta/Sabena/Swissair Atlantic Excellence | | | | |